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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0808.PDF
816 FLIGHT, 17 June I960 FROM ALL QUARTERS D.H. Acquire S. G. Brown THE old-established gyro-equipment firm of S. G. Brown Ltd,of Watford, Herts, control of which was acquired tyy the Admiralty during the war, is being returned to private enterprise. It wasannounced last Monday that the Admiralty was disposing of the firm to de Havilland Holdings Ltd, "who for this purpose areassociated with American Bosch Arma Corporation." The state- ment, which was issued by D.H., continued: — "di Havilland Holdings Ltd, a member of the Hawker Siddeley Group,will retain a controlling interest in S. G. Brown Ltd, which will continue to operate as a British company. Special arrangements have been agreedwith the new owners to safeguard the continuance of British control. "While owned by the Admiralty, the company has developed its navaland mercantile business and has maintained the confidence of many navies and shipping interests. The business will be developed furtherand at the same time the technical and commercial resources of de Havil- land Holdings Ltd and American Bosch Arma Corporation will providethe means for an extension of the company's activities into other fields. . . "The skills and techniques of S. G. Brown Ltd are complementary tothose of de Havilland and are already being employed by de Havilland Propellers Ltd on a subcontract basis." The purchase price is unofficially reported to be in the regionof £lm. Bosch Arma are today one of the world's leading manu- facturers of inertiai-guidance equipment. When the Government announced, a year ago, that S. G. Brownmight be offered for sale, guarantees were given that British control would be maintained, and on Aionday a D.H. spokesman said that"every opportunity will be available for building up the business" and expressed the hope that trade union reaction would be favour-able. Nevertheless, there are indications that the Opposition are likely to table a censure motion on the grounds that an Americanfirm has an interest in the acquisition, and also because the decision was announced during the Parliamentary recess. In the Honours List AMONG the comparatively few names well known in aviationwhich appeared in the civil divisions of the Birthday Honours last weekend were those of P. LI. Hunting, chairman of theHunting group of companies, who is knighted, and Anthony Milward, chief executive of BEA, who is appointed CBE. P. LI. Hunting, left (Knight Bachelor) and Anthony Mil- ward (CBE) Dr Gordon Sutherland, Director of the National PhysicalLaboratory, receives a knighthood. Dr J. S. McPetrie, Director- General of Electronics Research and Development, Ministry ofAviation is made CB and the Ministry's Chief Scientist, Dr Robert Cockburn, KBE. J. C. R. Woodside, Deputy Director ofWorks, Air Ministry, is appointed CBE, as is Gp Capt J. P. Ryland, general manager of Trans-Australia Airlines. Among recipients in the aircraft industry are T. E. Allibone,director of Associated Electrical Industries' research laboratories (CBE); F. W. Bates, works director of Kelvin & Hughes (OBE);and F. H. Saniter, director of Research, United Steel Companies (OBE).A more detailed list will be given next week. Names in the military division are given in "Service Aviation" (page 832) inthis issue. X-15 Delay ALTHOUGH the North American X-15 has completed its flyingas a glider and on the power of the interim LR11 rocket (Flight, May 27, page 732) with reasonably satisfactory results, the hyper-sonic research programme continues to be delayed by the defini- tive powerplant, the Reaction Motors LR99. Rated at 57,0001bat sea level, this remarkable engine runs on liquid oxygen and AMERICAN GUEST at the Helicopter Garden Party was ths Brantly B-2, seen here over the trim lawns of Dunsborough Park. (See Col 2.) ammonia, pump-fed to a single basket-tube chamber. Ground-running of the 20-odd engines built has uncovered numerous snags and caused delivery to North American to be postponed by manvmonths. The company finally received an engine earlier this year anc'installed it in the third X-15 on June 8, but during a night stati test of the aircraft on the ground at Edwards AFB a major explelsion destroyed most of the airframe aft of the wings. The frort portion of the aircraft was blown forwards some 20ft; ScortCrossfield, who was at the controls, was luckily uninjured. The aircraft is a write-off and a second LR99-powered machine willnot be ready for "several months." A Co-op Deterrent DURING his recent visit to Washington, Harold Watkinson, dieDefence Minister, discussed plans for the future of RAF Bomber Command in relation to the USAF Strategic Air Command ltseems highly improbable that unofficial reports to the effect that both forces will maintain an airborne alert are correct; but there isno doubt that every avenue will be explored which can increase the dispersal and mobility of the West's strategic bombers. Co-opera-tion between SAC and the V-force has always been intimate at all levels of command; but there is still a great deal which can be doneto reduce the problems involved in operating from each other's bases and from all other suitable airnelds throughout the globe. Inparticular, the overall effectiveness of the aircraft involved will be much enhanced when the standard delivery system includesGAM-87A Sky Bolt, scheduled to bs used by the B-52H and Vulcan B.2. RAeS Helicopter Garden Party . . . TOWERING leaden clouds, spells of brilliant sunshine and agusty wind provided an exhilarating background for the annual Helicopter Rally, held last Saturday at Dunsborough Park,Ripley, the Surrey home of Mr and Mrs Charles Hughesdon. There were Sycamore flights at nominal prices; and demon-strations; and there was a newcomer, strange to most guests of the Rotorcraft Section of the RAeS—the Brantly B-2, a note onwhich appears below. Skeeters, Sycamores, Whirlwinds and a Widgeon added colour to the outfield beyond the ha-ha, whilearound the marquee there were beehive and candyfloss hats and Lord Douglas straight from the Trooping the Colour in hissplendid uniform of Marshal of the Royal Air Force. After examining the helicopters and in some cases taking theirfirst ride in one, most of the guests found a few minutes to examine the magnificent gardens and greenhouses. . . . and the Brantly NOW flying in this country after some delay, the Brantly B-2 iseen at Ripley last weekend is understood to be one of two shipped j from America. A light side-by-side two-seater, with semi-bugeyeenclosure, it appeared to be unusually agile. Its Lycoming engine ! provides 180 h.p., which is generous for a compact machine iweighing only 1,6001b gross (9801b empty), and little more than half the power is in continuous use. One outcome is that over-pitching is impossible. 2,700 r.p.m. can be obtained with the collective-pitch lever against its up-stop. The synchronization ofthe throttle is also said to be exceptionally good. Cruising speed is 95 m.p.h. and maximum speed 5 m.p.h. more.The engine is restricted for continuous running between 2,400 and 2,600 r.p.m. Maximum rate of climb is a little over 1,500ft/min, and safe operational endurance is about three hours. Blades and mechanical components prone to fatigue have been given a "Flight" photograph
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